David Jones plans to open standalone food stores

Australian department chain David Jones has announced its intentions to open its first standalone food store with a focus on “premium convenience”.

The store is the first of several standalone David Jones food stores expected to open over the coming years.

The store, set to start trading in 2019, will be located within a new building development on Chapel Street, Melbourne. It will be approximately 500sqm in size and offer “premium retail food” with “an emphasis on convenience and quality”.

Fresh grocery items including meat, seafood and pre-prepared vegetables, fruits and salads will all be sold at the new concept store. “Restaurant-quality” ready meals and wine will also be a feature.

Private label will feature heavily

The majority of food sold at the store, including 90 per cent of the store’s fresh offering, will be private label products.

A number of frozen and pantry items such as ice cream, confectionary, stir fry sauces, herbs and spices will also be sold under David Jones private label.

Some non-private label products will be available, many of which will be exclusively sold through David Jones.

Fresh but convenient

Chief Executive Officer of David Jones, David Thomas, said David Jones customers want fresh but convenient food.

“We are excited to bring our new world-class food concept to their [customers] door step in the heart of South Yarra as part of a this exciting new development,” Thomas said.

The store is expected to create 30 new jobs, including specialist food roles across a range of food categories.

David Jones’ Chapel Street food store is the last venture in David Jones’ push into premium food retailing. It follows the opening of a new food hall within its Bondi Junction, Sydney store in August 2017. David Jones opened a new food concept in its Wollongong NSW store in October 2017 and is expected to open a similar food offering in the Melbourne suburb of Malvern in March 2018.